At a data entry location for fulfillment of prescription drugs, the name of a patient of a pharmacy, the name of the prescribed drug(s), strength of the drug(s), prescriber identification, and directions for administering the drug(s) are entered. Prescription drugs are increasingly filled at a location separate from the data entry location. That is, upon verification of a valid prescription, the prescription is fulfilled at a fulfillment location remote from the data entry location.
The fulfillment location often needs additional information from the data entry location in order to fulfill the prescription accurately. During fulfillment of some prescriptions at the fulfillment location, the prescription, and therefore the fulfillment, must be altered. Should the prescription be fulfilled without being altered, the prescription is likely unusable at considerable expense. Because of the possibility of a prescription being altered during fulfillment, the fulfillment location sends frequent requests for updates on the prescription to the data entry location at various stages of fulfillment. The requests for updates attempt to catch any alterations to the prescription that would then, accordingly, require alterations to the fulfillment. These requests for updates from multiple locations can be numerous and burdensome for the data entry location. Furthermore, if the data entry location loses communication with the fulfillment location, the fulfillment of the prescription may be put on hold indefinitely because no updates are received. The loss of communication may cause a large number of such holds and a corresponding loss in operating income.
In other operations, the fulfillment location only receives information about the prescription from the data entry location in parts or stages. To properly complete fulfillment, the fulfillment location then has to request more information about the prescription. Likewise, if the data entry location loses contact with the fulfillment location, the fulfillment of numerous prescriptions can come to a standstill. In other situations, the fulfillment location is selected at the data entry location. The data entry location may select a fulfillment location based on location of patient (e.g. zip code) to minimize shipping costs. However, there may be backlogs, low inventory or significant price increases, for example, of which the data entry location is unaware. Once a fulfillment location is selected, fulfillment of the prescription is committed to the chosen fulfillment location.